The setup:
I have 2 file servers called file01 and file02. I set up a parent folder called F:\Parent and then create three subfolders called Child1, Child2 and Child3. I then set up DFS-R to replicate F:\Parent to file02. The folders all replicate nicely.
I then Share the Child1 folder on each server.
I then add Child1 to the DFS namespace so my namespace has this: \\domain\DFS\Child1 and make both file01 and file02 members. Again, this work nicely.
The problem:
The DFS-N GUI under the Child1 folder shows nothing in the Replication tab. Of course, Child1 is actually replicated. The GUI "offers" me to run the Replicate Folder Wizard. If I do this, it throws an error rightly saying that "The shared folder path (F:\Parent\Child1\) is already replicated on the server using replication group (Parent)" – it is right: Parent is indeed shared. But if DFS-N knows this why does the GUI not show this?
I can bodge it by linking the DFS-R and DFS-N using PowerShell.
Set-DfsReplicatedFolder -FolderName "Parent" -DfsnPath "\\domain\DFS\Child1" -GroupName "Parent"
This effectively tells the namespace not to be so daft and link it's Child1 namespace to the replicated Parent. The problem with this bodge is that the relationship between a namespace share and a replication is 1:1, not 1:many. So, let's suppose I repeat this for Child2: share it on each server and create a namespace folder called \\domain\DFS\Child1. Child2 now shows as not being replicated and if I run the Replicate Folder Wizard I get the same error as before. If I apply the same bodge:
Set-DfsReplicatedFolder -FolderName "Parent" -DfsnPath "\\domain\DFS\Child2" -GroupName "Parent"
Child2 now takes over from Child1 and Child1 now says (in the DFS namespace section) that it is not replicated.
Suggestion:
Either allow a 1:Many relationship between namespaces and replication folders or fix the GUI such that it doesn't incorrectly show a folder as not replicated when it actually is.
Thoughts?